Wishing on Two Stars
by Boolia
Summary: It's 1934 in The Great Depression. Tiana is in danger of losing the restrurant. Can Raymond, her and Naveen's five-year old son help out by getting a job as a shoeshiner? In these tough times, can they still have a thankful Thanksgiving? Read to find out!


Wishing on Two Stars

Naveen entered the swamp to pick up his five-year-old son. Louis, Willie, Maybelle, and Vincent had been babysitting him while he and his wife were working at the restaurant. As soon as he saw him, a small frog jumped up to him. Naveen gasped. Who was this little frog? Where was his son?

"Wait a second." Mama Odie said, approaching. Juju was next to her. She then turned the frog into a boy. "There, that's better." Naveen sighed as soon as he saw his son running up to him for a hug.

"Daddy!" He cried in absolute joy.

"Raymond!" Naveen said with joy and picked him up. "Did you have a fun time with Louis and friends?" Raymond nodded.

"Guess what, Daddy? They brought me to Mama Odie's, and she turned me into a frog just like you and Mama were."

"So I saw."

"She said I didn't need to become one, but I wanted to. I wanted to see the world in the

same way as you when you two were frogs."

"Did you enjoy it?" The child nodded for a third time.

"It was awesome! Nothing bad ever happed to me." Louis and the others had vivid flashbacks of trying to protect the little human turned frog from danger. He was always close to being killed. "You and Mama were so lucky!"

"Oh, I don't know about that." Raymond was confused.

"Why not?"

"Because your mother and I wanted to be human again. We even sang a song about it." Raymond was still confused.

"I still don't get it. What's so bad about being a frog?"

"You ask too many questions." And with that, he tickled him, making him laugh. Naveen went to Louis and friends. "Thanks again for watching him, guys."

"No problem!" Louis responded. "I always LOVE watching him. Thank you for not having me work so I could do it." Naveen laughed. "And also thanks to Tiana's mom for being sick, wait. That sounded wrong. Sorry."

"I guess babysitting him with joy is one way to look at all of this ugly mess we're in right now." Next, he looked at Mama Odie. "And thank you for turning my son back before I took him home. I wouldn't want to have to explain to Tiana why our son's a frog."

"And I wouldn't want you to do that either." The blind woman said. "Like I told him, he didn't need to be a frog."

"Right." He put his son on the ground. "Say goodbye, kiddo, then we're leaving."

Once Raymond said goodbye to everyone, even Juju, they left hand in hand.

"I must be the only boy whose babysitters are crocodiles." Raymond spoke. "Grandma and my friends' are all human." Naveen chuckled.

"I think you might be right." He agreed. They then passed a homeless man. He passed out a metal tin to them.

"Spare change?" He asked. Naveen shook his head.

"No, can't help you, pal. Sorry." He pulled his son away who looked back. Raymond saw that the man was in a box. Raymond looked back at Naveen.

"Daddy, why is that man inside of a box?" He wanted to know. "And why does he and everybody in New Leans it seems want spare change all of a sudden?"

Naveen frowned. Times were tough since the stock market crashed over five years earlier. A lot of people were out of jobs. Thankfully, he and Tiana still had theirs, but he didn't know how much longer, and that bothered him. He didn't know how to answer Raymond's question. How do you explain The Great Depression to a five-year-old?

"Times are tough." He just said.

"Why? It's been like this ever since I can remember."

"Don't ask another question about this, okay?"

"Why?"

"Just don't."

"Okay, but why?" Naveen shot a look at him. This scared him, so he didn't dare ask any further.

Outside of Tiana's Palace, they saw a line of people who were going to trade rations for food items. Raymond wanted very badly to ask what they were in line for but he didn't want to upset his father again, so he just stayed quiet.

"Tiana, we're home!" Naveen announced as they entered the main house. He let go of his son who raced off. "Tiana! Tiana?"

"Mama, why are you crying?" He heard his son's concerned voice. Naveen went to the kitchen to find him and his wife, sitting in a chair, in the kitchen. He was nervous about Tiana who was crying. It was clear Raymond was concerned as well. "Mama?" Tiana stopped crying, and turned around in her chair.

"I never heard you guys come in." She admitted.

"That's weird." Naveen stated. "I called you." She looked at her husband.

"Sorry, I must have tuned you guys out."

"Mama, guess what?!" Their son piped up. "I was a frog today." Tiana looked at their son.

"That's great, honey. Can you go play with your toys as I talk to your daddy alone?" Raymond was disappointed. He began to pout.

"But I'm in this family too, aren't I? I want to know what's bothering you."

"That's great and all, but please, go upstairs." Raymond put on a pouty face, but went out of the room. Tiana looked at her husband and sighed. Naveen was very worried now.

"What it is, Tiana?" He asked.

"The economy is catching up to us, Naveen." Naveen was confused.

"What does that mean?" She gave her husband a piece of paper. Naveen took it and looked at it. "We're losing our restaurant." Naveen looked at her.

"But this is what your daddy planned. This was your dream." Tiana nodded in agreement.

"I know, but some dreams are costly. Plus, Daddy didn't know it was going to get this bad. Plus, I told you when we were frogs. My dream isn't complete without you in it. That was true, then and it's still true now, Raymond included as well as any other children if we have any more." Naveen was touched by this, then frowned again.

"But you can't just let it go, can you?"

"I don't want this any more than you, but what are we gonna do? We can work harder, but even that might not be enough, and you know how much I work."

"I do, but..." He frowned with a sigh. "I just don't want you unhappy."

"I know, honey."

"How much time do we have?"

"Didn't you read it? We have until the day before Thanksgiving." Naveen was shocked.

"But that's next week already. They can't do this to us, can they?" Tiana nodded.

"Oh they can all right."

"Don't worry. I'm sure we can figure this out. I promise. You won't lose your dream."

"That's sweet, but..."

"Don't you worry. I won't let you or Raymond down."

Raymond watched from the stairway. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't know what economy meant, but he knew what losing the restaurant was although he didn't know why they were losing it. He just knew that they might be in some sort of trouble for this to happen. This can't be happening! There must be something he could do, but what? He went to his room to think.

The next day, Naveen took Raymond back to the swamp. Louis tried to play with Raymond, but the boy just sat on the grass, deep in thought. Finally, he had enough.

"Say, what's wrong?" He asked him. Raymond looked at him.

"My parents are losing the restrant." He found it funny that 'rest' was in the name, when you normally don''t rest there. He thought the same of a restroom. The alligator was shocked.

"What, why?"

"I don't know. Something about the e..econ...I don't know."

"Oh."

"I want to help them, but I don't know how."

"I don't know how either, because I don't get what's going on either. But I've been around New Orleans, and I think I might know what's going on."

"You do? What?"

"Well, the way I see it, Tiana told me it was due to the market crash five years ago...just the age you are now. She said it was the economy." He lit up. "Hey; economy, I think that was the word you were looking for. I can't tell you what it means, because, frankly, I don't get it."

"I wish I knew what to do."

"I wish you did too." He changed the subject. "But let's go play instead of you moping all day. It's just sad." This cheered the boys right up.

"Okay!"

While Naveen and Raymond were walking a different route home then they were used to, Raymond saw someone giving someone else a shoeshine. He was curious. He never saw a shoeshiner before. He asked Naveen about this, and why someone was doing it for the other person.

"That's his job." Naveen explained. "He's a shoeshiner."

"Job? What's a job?"

"It's something you do in life to earn your keep and get money. I used to not like the word 'job,' and thought they were all pointless until I met your mother who taught me otherwise."

"Oh." He thought about this.

"Does money keep you in a job?" Naveen shrugged.

"Sure, I guess if you earn enough. why do you need to know?"

"Nothing." Suddenly, Raymond knew what to do. He knew how to keep the restaurant open, and his parents happy again.

"Can I go to the swamp again?" Raymond asked the next morning at breakfast.

"Grandma is all better today." Tiana told him. "Why don't you go there instead?" Raymond shook his head.

"As much as I love Grandma," He began. "I rather go to Louis please if you don't mind."

"Why? Did you promise him something?"

"Honey," Naveen said to him. "Why not him? He is being a babysitter none the less. As long as he is happy while we're working the restaurant, it won't matter, does it?" Tiana sighed.

"I guess not. Okay, I'll call Mama, and tell her plans have changed." Raymond frowned.

"I don't want to hurt Grandma's feelings." He said.

"You're not. You see her a lot. She just wants you happy, now eat your street potato pecan waffles."

"Okay." With that, he picked up his fork, and took a bite.

Louis was surprised to see Raymond and Naveen a third time in the swamp.

"Why are you guys here again?" He wanted to know. "Is Tiana's mama still sick?" Naveen shook his head.

"Raymond just wanted to be with you again."

"Okay, well, the more the better." He looked down at Raymond. "I always am willing to watch over this little scamp." Raymond laughed.

"And I always am willing to be watched by you." The alligator smiled at this.

"I have to tell you something." Raymond said to Louis as soon as Naveen left. Again, Louis looked down at him.

"You do?" He questioned. "What?" Raymond took a deep breath and looked at him.

"You can't tell my parents, promise?" Louis was confused.

"Why don't you want your parents to know?"

"Because I want to surprise them." Louis was touched by this.

"Aw; that's so sweet." He was confused again. "It is a good surprise or a bad surprise?"

"A good one."

"Good. So, what is it?"

"You have to promise first." He was disappointed by this.

"Aw, why can't you tell me first, and then I can promise?" Raymond shook his head.

"Nope! Promise first." He sighed.

"Fine!" He raised his claw in the air. "I promise." He then bounced up and down. "Now, tell me!"

"I am going to get a job." Louis was surprised.

"You are?" Louis nodded. He was excited again. "Good for you! What kind of job?" Raymond shrugged.

"I saw a shoeshiner yesterday. I think I can do that. It looks really easy."

"What's a shoeshiner?" So Raymond explained.

"So when are you going to get it?" Louis wanted to know when Raymond was done with the exclamation.

"As soon as Daddy drops me off at home, I'm going to sneak out and ask."

"Sounds great. Hope you get it."

"Thanks. I hope I get it too. If not, I have to get something in order to make my parents happy again." Louis smiled.

"I know you're make your parents proud, kid, no matter what."

As soon as Naveen and Raymond went outside that evening, Raymond did what he told Louis. He snuck out of the house, looked around to see if he was alone, and went to find the shoeshiner.

He found the shoeshiner as the shoeshiner was done for the day. He looked at the child.

"I'm done for the day, kid." He told him. "You have to come back tomorrow." He stood up.

"Oh no." Raymond said with a head shake. "I'm not here for a shoeshine."

"You're not? What are you here for?"

"I want a job."

"Oh, you do, don't you?" Raymond nodded.

"Uh-huh. I saw you shoe shining someone's shoe yesterday while walking with my Daddy, and it looked real easy."

"Are you sure you want to do this? It may look easy, but appearances aren't everything you know." Again, Raymond nodded.

"Uh-huh. I need the money, and Daddy says jobs will get you money."

"Your Daddy's right. Jobs do get you money."

"So, do I get the job?"

"That depends. Do your parents know you're here looking for a job?" Raymond nodded instantly.

"Oh, yes, most definitely." He immediately felt guilty. He knew it was bad to lie. His parents would be mad if they found out, but will instantly forget it once they found out it was for a good cause. Maybe they'll let him go to the ice cream parlor for a full week every day, and get a toy from the toy store, maybe more if he was lucky! "I don't go to school yet so I can come any time you need me. Daddy says maybe next year I'll start school, and I'll work really hard, and...and...well, that's it. I won't let you down. I promise. I'll be the best working person you have! Please, I need this job!" The man chuckled.

"Wow; there must be a toy that you really want. Okay, work starts at eight in the morning. Don't be late." They shook hands. "By the way, I'm Jim."

"I'm Raymond, and I won't be late. I promise." With that, he ran all the way to the swamp to tell his alligator friend the news.

"There you are, Raymond James!" Naveen said, running up to his son, and hugged him when he returned home. "Your mother and I were worried about you. We almost called the police."

"Sorry, Dad." Raymond apologized. "I went to the swamp to talk to Louis."

"Well next time, tell your mom or me where you're going first, okay?"

"Okay." With that, they headed into the restaurant.

The next morning, Raymond was running late. He ran out into the streets, and to the shoeshiners.

"Sorry, I'm late." He told Jim when he arrived.

"You're an hour late." Jim told him.

"Okay, I'm sorry."

"You know, any job you have, you have to be on time every time."

"Alright, again, I'm sorry." Jim handed him a towel to wipe shoes with. "Just wait for your first customer."

"Okay. You got it!"

"Can I be done now?" Raymond asked Jim an hour later, already exhausted. Jim looked at him.

"No." He stated.

"But I'm tired."

"Look, I'm sorry, but this is what having a job is like. You have to work until your boss, me, tells you that you can stop."

"Well, when will that be?"

"Not an hour after you started working, I can tell you that."

"When can I?"

"I'll tell you."

"When..." Raymond stopped after looking at the look Jim was giving him, and sighed. "I'll keep working."

"Good. Don't bring it up again.

People came and went all day to get their shoe shined. Raymond never knew so many people wanted to get their shoes shined, and how exhausting it can be. But he did it with a smile each time.

Some people were nice to him, and even had conversations with him. Some were mean to him. One woman refused to have him polish her shoe, claiming that 'she doesn't associate with boys his of kind.' Raymond didn't know what she meant, but for some reason the words 'his kind' was like cutting him with a really sharp knife. He didn't like it, and told Jim about it. Jim told him to ignore it, so that it what he did, but he still didn't like what that woman said about him.

Jim paid Raymond at the end of the day for a job well done. Raymond thanked him, and raced home, but not before going to the swamp to tell Louis about his day.

"She said that?" Louis wanted to know about the rude racist lady. Raymond nodded.

"I don't know what she meant tough, but for some reason it hurts like a knife cut really deep. Do you know what it means?" This time, Louis shook his head.

"Sorry, no I don't. It does sound really mean though. The nerve of that lady for saying that; I would've smacked her." He was then confused. "You had a really deep knife cut? That must've hurt, not that I had one before, it just sounds painful."

"Oh, I never had one either. I just imagined it would hurt that bad."

"Oh." He changed the subject. "So then what happened?"

"Well, then I worked the rest of the day, got paid, and now I'm here with you telling you about it. I have to leave, and get ready for tomorrow."

"Okay, glad you had a good day, minus that lady that was rude." They said their goodbyes, then Louis watched as Raymond left the swamp.

"Well, kid." Jim said to Raymond the next day at closing time. "I'm sorry I have to do this to you especially on your second day, but I can't pay you anymore, so I have to let you go. "

"Go?" Raymond questioned. "Go where? I don't understand."

"How do I put this nicely? You don't work here any more." Raymond was shocked about this.

"But, you don't understand. I have to work here!"

"Sorry, kid, but times are tough. Now go home to your folks, while you still have a home that is. Plus, the shoeshiner buisness isn't popular anymore, and you're just a child. You should go enjoy your childhood instead of thinking about things like work."

"That's why I need this job for, to make money for the restrant." Jim was confused at first, but then realized he meant restaurant.' He just shrugged.

"What can I say? Maybe get a different job? That is if they can afford you."

"I'll get a new job, but first, are you sure I can't come back and work for you?" Jim shook his head. Raymond sighed.

"Fine; I'll get a new job. How hard can it be?"

"Oh, you're be surprised, son. It's very hard in these times, very hard indeed."

"I'm not your son, but I'm gonna prove you very wrong."

Raymond did try to ask for more jobs as soon as he left, and the few days that followed. Unfortunately, he didn't find any. They either couldn't afford him, he couldn't handle the job right, they were going out of business, or refused to hire an African American. He still didn't know why, but like that rude lady from the shoeshiner, hurt like a really sharp knife.

He got home, trying really hard to hide his upcoming tears, but heard his mother crying instead.

"Mama?" He questioned. He went to the kitchen where he found Naveen comforting a crying Tiana. "Mama! Why are you crying again? We didn't lose the restrant, did we?" The parents looked at him, "Please, tell me we didn't."

"Oh, baby." Tiana said to him. "Don't be concerned about that now. Please, just go to your room."

"But, Mama..."

"Please, Raymond." Raymond was sad, but walked off.

"We have to tell him." He heard his father say. He stopped in his tracks.

"I know, but he's only five."

"Well, when will we then? When we're out on the streets? He needs answers, Tiana. I know it'll be hard, but he needs to someday." Raymond raced back into the room, upset being obvious on his face.

"So we are going to lose the restrant, and live out on the streets, right?" Both parents looked at him, shocked at their little son's outburst. "I know what it's like, Mom and Dad. I've been out there trying to find a job, so that the restrant can be saved and everyone can be happy again like we used to. But I don't know why we have to live like this too." And with that, he ran off up to his room, crying. Both parents ran after him. Naveen stopped Tiana.

"I'll talk to him." Tiana nodded, and Naveen continued going after the child.

Naveen found Raymond sitting up in his bed, crying. He walked to him, and sat next to him.

"Your mom didn't want you finding out this way." He began. "You're too young to have your innocence ruined like this." Raymond looked at him.

"I just don't get it." He said. "Why does it has to be this way? It didn't use to be."

"Actually son, it was always like this ever since you were born. It's just we were sheltering you, and protecting you from the awful truths of reality. It helped that it never got this extreme, and it didn't really affect us until now."

"But, Dad, I want to know the truth because I am apart of this family. I just don't know why it has to be this way, I want it to end. I know we, as well as everybody else can live better. We just got to." And with that he cried on his dad's lap as Naveen soothed his hair.

"I know son, and there will. I just know it! There just has to be!" Raymond then frowned.

"I'm sorry I lied to you and Mom, Dad. I just wanted to surprise you. I thought a job would make things better. I never thought how hard it was going to be. This is going to be an awful Thanksgiving." Naveen took his hand in his.

"Son, we may be losing everything tomorrow, and can't afford a pie or a turkey, but I'm still thankful. You know why?" Raymond looked up at him, confused.

"Why?"

"For you and your mother being in my life." Tiana smiled from outside. Naveen was about to add something when she came into the room.

"And I'm thankful for Daddy and you." She said. Naveen and Raymond looked at her.

"And I'm thankful for you and Daddy, Mommy." Raymond put in. Both parents smiled at this.

"You know," Tiana began. "You were born when all of this began."

"I was?" Tiana nodded.

"Out of all the sadness that had happened during the years, you were the best little miracle that came out of this." Raymond smiled.

"I guess I was, wasn't I?" Tiana nodded.

"You sure were." He then frowned.

"Will all of this go away?"

"I believe it will, son. It'll just take time."

"How much time?"

"Who knows? We just have to be patient. It'll come someday. I just know it."

"Will people be nicer too?" Tiana was confused about this. So was Naveen.

"What do you mean?" Raymond told them about the mean slurs he was getting trying to find a job.

"They said those to a five-year- old kid?" Naveen questioned. Raymond nodded.

"Don't listen to them." Tiana said. "We can't help how we were born and think. You hear me? Just ignore those rude, nasty comments. You're special just the way you are, everyone is; you hear me? Don't let anyone tell you differently."

"Yes, Mama. I know that. It still hurts though."

"I know, baby. Maybe someday people will learn to respect one another. Why maybe someday we'll get a president of our background."

"Maybe a princess too." Naveen added. "Oh better yet, a princess in a movie that talks! Maybe in the same year. How cool will that be, huh?"

"Very cool!" Raymond agreed. Raymond then saw Ray and Evangeline twinkling in the night sky. He jumped up, and ran to the windows. "Look, the stars are out!" The parents walked to him.

"Want to make a wish?" Raymond and Naveen looked at her, confused.

"But Tiana, you don't like to wish on them." Naveen stated.

"Yeah!" Raymond agreed. "You say it's a waste of time, remember?" Tiana shrugged.

"It may be," She agreed. "but it doesn't hurt to try. And who knows? They might come true and it might not. We just have to wait to see." Raymond cheered. He never wished on two stars before. He couldn't wait! And so, all of them knelt down, and told their wishes to Ray and Evenline.

Their wishes didn't come true, part of thier wishes anyways. They lost the restaurant, and became homeless like Tiana's mom. But they were still hopeful that one day they'll get their restaurant back, and life will be great once again. In the meantime, they were invited to stay in Maldonia by Naveen's parents until things got better. Also, in the meantime, Naveen, his wife, and young son still had good friends and family in the U.S. This Thanksgiving, despite all that had happened, was still was very filled with thanks.


End file.
